50 



within three months, but have found it considerably 



harder to obtain any in other parts of the Island. 



One specimen, which I kept for nearly two years, 



became very tame, and grew to a length of three 



feet. It died eventually from old age. A skin of 



a Trimeresurus I killed near Matale measured 



4 ft. 4 ins. when stretched. A large number of 



varieties are to be obtained in the Matale district, 



and during a stay of a year there I killed the 



following varieties: — PolyodontophisSubpunctatus, 



Aspidura Trachyprocta, Oligodon Subli^eatus, 



Lycodon Aulicus, Zamenis Mucosus, Coluber 



Helena, Dendrophis Pictus, Tropidonotus Stolatus, 



Tropidonotus Quincunciatus (known in Ceylon as 



T. Asperrimus), Helicops Schistosus, Dipsas Cey- 



lonensis, Dipsas Forstenii, Dryophis Mycterizans, 



DryophisPulverulentus, Naia Tripudians, Callophis 



Trimaculatus, Vipera Russellii, Ancistrodon Hyp- 



nale, Trimeresurus Trigonocephalus. I found 



a family of nine "Coluber Helenas" in one 



antheap 



Although I made several attempts to obtain 

 specimens of Bungarus Ceylonicus in that district 

 I was unable to obtain any. 



I append a list of the Tamil and Sinhalese 

 names of some common snakes, which may be of 

 some use to those desirous of obtaining specimens 

 in Ceylon. 



I had much difficulty in making the list at all 

 accurate, as the native nomenclature of snakes is 

 both incomplete and inaccurate, there being no 

 scientific study of reptiles among either the Tamils 

 or the Sinhalese. What one man will call a 

 ''Mapila" another will call a " Karawila," and 

 vice versa ; while separate species that resemble 

 each other in colour are given the same name. A 

 native dislikes confessing to ignorance, and if 

 shown any snake will give it a name, even if it is 



